These are my latest projects. My DGS who is 7 asked for something with flames. So I decided on a hat. My first try was too big and I'm wearing it. From the things I learned I think his is better.

Earlier I showed hats and fingerless mitts that I made for his sisters. I came across these Knuckles mitts from Knitty and thought they would work for a boy. The idea they had was to embroider letters (like tattoos) on the knuckles. He loves Star Wars, and since that has the right number of letters I decided to put that on them. They are mailed but haven't been received yet. His favorite colors are black and red. But (deep, dark secret), he also likes pink so I embroidered the letters with a mostly black and pink variegated yarn.

The hat is Wool-Ease and the mitts are Cascade Cherub.

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DGS's older sister sent this picture to me of DGS in his hat and mitts via computer.

I didn't use a pattern for the hat. I designed it myself. My first attempt I tried to do more like those stylized flames you see on cars and things. I did it, but decided the flames were too narrow and maybe they would be more identifiable if they were wider. I got starts on my flames by doing an image search for flames and then working the procured picture over on PhotoImpressions. Then my DH helped me take the pic to Knitpro (microrevolt-a free on-line resource) and made it into a chart. But the resulting charts need a little help, if not a lot.

The color changes are over long areas in a couple places on each side and it's not perfect, but not bad. Intarsia would probably have been in order, but I don't like having to do hats flat and sewing them up. So I just carried the colors and caught them in. I had to figure out a chart that would make flames that would fit on my hat size with my gauge. Smaller gauge yarn would have made more detail.

I needed to decrease before I got to the top of the flames so I just decreased randomly in that section, every other round in the black parts. Then when I got above the flames I started evenly spaced decreases. I kind of winged it on the tips of the flames and the added "sparks" or whatever they are.

It was kind of a fun project, and as I said my first attempt was too big. I have to admit to not making a swatch. Too boring, just go for it and see what happens. Hence, my hat with flames.